


Jared's Panic Attack

by d2fmeasurement



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 14:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4023673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d2fmeasurement/pseuds/d2fmeasurement
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this prompt: For once, Jared's the one who needs to be talked down from a panic attack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jared's Panic Attack

Richard listened as Jared listed off the latest on all the obstacles Pied Piper was facing. He didn’t look up from his computer as he let it all wash over him. He was almost used to the constant sinking feeling in his stomach. Like he’d gone numb to this whole thing. 

“Okay. What are we going to do about it?” he asked, ready to do whatever Jared advised.

“I don’t know,” Jared said in a small, shaky voice.

Richard looked up. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“I just told you! I just told you all of these problems we’re facing...” Jared said, his face was red and his voice was high-pitched.

“I know, but...we’ll figure it out, right?” He frowned as he watched Jared’s lip tremble. He hated seeing Jared so helpless, so he said, “Hey, it’s okay! Maybe if we call Monica...”

Jared started shaking harder and darted away. Richard watched him sadly. When he realized that Jared had sped off to kneel over the trash can because he needed to vomit, it felt like a surreal, out of body experience. 

He walked over and knelt down next to Jared, with his hand on his back, like Jared always did with him. He tried to remember what else Jared always did for him. “You, uh...you want to head to the bathroom and rinse out your mouth?” he asked. Jared nodded.

As Richard watched Jared rinse out his mouth, he asked, “Were you having a panic attack back there?”

“Um,” Jared said. “No. No. Everything’s fine. I’m just...I mean, yes. I don’t want to lie to you. I’m quite sure that was a panic attack.” Jared switched from rinsing his mouth out with water to mouthwash. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t rely on you so much to fix everything...”

Jared finished rinsing his mouth out and turned to Richard. “No! Please do! I want you to. Please don’t call Monica. I can be useful, I can--”

Richard frowned and squeezed Jared’s hand. “Jared, if you want to brainstorm some solutions we can and I’m sure you’ll think of something amazing, but this doesn’t fall on you. I’m the CEO. And Mon--” He remembered what had set Jared off last time and quickly changed to say, “Other people are here to help. We’re a team.”

Jared nodded. “Thank you.”

“Yeah? Did I help?” Richard asked. 

Jared nodded. “I feel better.”

“Good. I want to be able to be your Jared...” Richard told him.

“Your Jared?” he repeated.

“Yeah, you know, the person who always makes you feel better,” Richard said.

“Did you coin that term based on any particular...” Jared asked, not wanting to get his hopes up.

Richard laughed. “You. You always make me feel better and help out with everything.”

Jared squealed a little and gave him a quick hug. Richard smiled and shook his head a little as he squeezed Jared back. 

“Is there...anything else?” Richard asked. “You know, besides how insurmountable all of the obstacles our company is facing are?”

“I guess...I always thought that at this point in life I would have, a steady job...and a steady relationship...and just not be dedicating myself to this completely impossible...”

“It’ll turn into something steady,” Richard assured him.

Jared tilted his head. “What...what do you mean?”

“Well, even if, you know, worst case scenario, Pied Piper totally, um, fails...you still have a great resume and skills and you’ll find something soon,” he said.

“Oh.Yes. Of course. You’re right...my career will bounce back,” Jared said, nodding.

“Yeah and...as for the other part...someone will fall in love with you soon. I mean, you’re so great...” Richard said.

“Yeah?” Jared asked softly.

Richard nodded. “Yes, um...” He was never good at giving bro pep talks. He didn’t think he could pull off the usual ‘you the man, fuck any bitch who can’t see that’ approach. He decided to just speak from the heart. He looked up at Jared and said, “You’re such a special person. I’ve slowly been realizing that, you know? How great you actually are. You just brighten every room you’re in, you know, being positive in this cynical world and you take care of everyone around you so generously and...I just think someone will fall in love with you immediately as soon as they get to know you. I don’t know how anyone could not...” Jared was staring at him and he said, “I’m rambling. I’m not good at...talking...”

“No, it was wonderful to hear,” Jared told him. 

Richard nodded and walked away. He hesitated and then turned around. “I really meant it,” he said.

“That’s very nice,” Jared said.

“Someone could fall in love with you really easily...slowly...without realizing it,” Richard said.

“That’s good...” Jared told him. 

Richard ran his hands through his hair and looked down at the floor awkwardly. He was thinking about Jared had said, about how he thought at this point in his life he’d have a relationship. Richard hadn’t seriously thought about that kind of stuff in a couple years, to be honest. But now, suddenly that feeling of longing was hitting him. Everything in his life was stress and complications and it would be really nice to have something that was just comforting. It hit him how silly it would be to ignore a chance to have that.

“I, um...I like you, by the way,” he said. “I’m gonna get to work, though. I don’t want to bother you and we have stuff to do...”  
“When you say you like me...” Jared asked.

“Like, I’d want to date you or something,” Richard said. He closed his eyes and said, “Sorry. I made this really weird and probably broke a company rule...”

“It’s not weird,” Jared said. “And we would be allowed to date. As long as we reported it to...us. We should. We should do it. If you still want to.”

Richard smiled and laughed as he said, “Yeah, I didn’t change my mind in the past minute while you were talking.”

“Oh good. That’s very good,” Jared said with genuine relief.

Richard grinned at how cute he was and pulled him into a tight hug. He realized how weird it was to only hug in this situation and he tilted his head up. “Um...should we...”

Jared nodded and kissed him. Richard kissed back lovingly.


End file.
